About

Topic : Kinematics

Projectile Motion

 

Translations

Code	Language		Translator	Run

Credits

John Low

 

Briefing Document: Projectile Motion Simulation and Open Educational Resources

1. Overview

This document reviews information related to a projectile motion simulation, "Projectile Motion with Comparison JavaScript HTML5 Applet Simulation Model," created by John Low and hosted on the Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics @ Singapore platform. The context surrounding this simulation reveals a broader effort to create and disseminate interactive educational tools, particularly in physics and mathematics.

2. Key Themes and Ideas

• Interactive Simulations for Learning: The core of the resource is an interactive JavaScript HTML5 applet designed to explore projectile motion. The tool's existence signifies the growing importance of interactive simulations in educational settings. The ability to "Embed this model in a webpage" highlights the intention for easy integration into online learning environments.
• Open Educational Resources (OER): The platform hosting the simulation, Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics @ Singapore, is dedicated to providing free and accessible educational materials. The resource is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 Singapore License, demonstrating the commitment to open sharing and collaborative improvement. This aligns with the broader OER movement, advocating for the free availability of educational resources.
• Focus on Kinematics and Physics: The specific simulation addresses the topic of "Projectile Motion," a core concept within kinematics and mechanics. This indicates a focus on using interactive models to teach fundamental physics principles. The listing under "Kinematics" and "Dynamics" categorizes the content within the field of classical mechanics.
• Comparison of Projectiles: The title "Projectile Comparison" suggests the applet allows for the manipulation and comparison of multiple projectiles, possibly to demonstrate the impact of different launch parameters, such as initial velocity and launch angle, on trajectory and range.
• Variety of Resources and Models: The page links to a wide array of similar educational resources, including simulations on air resistance, two-dimensional motion, and simulations created using Easy Java Simulation. This indicates a broader community of developers and educators contributing to the OER space. Examples include:
• "Trajectory of a ball with air resistance by Farhang Amiri"
• "HTML5 version of Projectile Motion by Walter Fendt"
• "Ejs Intro 2DMotionLab Model by Anne Cox, Wolfgang Christian, and Mario Belloni"
• Easy Java/JavaScript Simulations: The frequent appearance of terms like "Easy Java Simulation (EJS)" and "JavaScript HTML5 Applet" shows that EJS is a significant tool used by the community to develop interactive models. It highlights the use of visual and interactive programming to make scientific concepts accessible to students. The phrase "Re Create or Convert EJS to EJSS" also indicates that the community actively updates or converts older simulations to newer more accessible technology like JavaScript.
• Integration of Technology in Education: The numerous links to workshops, conferences, and projects demonstrate an active community involved in using technology and simulations to improve education, especially in STEM fields. Mentions like "Creating ICT Learning Experiences for Kinematics-Dynamics-Energy" and "Interactive Workshop ICCE2012 Designing Open Source Computer Models for Physics by Inquiry using Easy Java Simulation" further reinforce the use of interactive simulations in a variety of learning environments.
• Broad Application Across Subjects: While the initial focus is on physics, the broader context indicates that the platform extends beyond physics, encompassing topics like chemistry, mathematics, and even literacy. This is seen in the presence of applets like "Tank Concentration JavaScript HTML5 Applet Simulation Model" and "Add and Subtract Fractions JavaScript HTML5 Applet Simulation Model".
• Support for Learning Communities: The information includes a number of workshop references that include educators, researchers, and software developers. Mentions of "Teacher Learning Community as Support for Implementation of Open Source Physics" and workshop references to the "Physics Chapter" demonstrate the emphasis on building professional communities of educators. This underscores the importance of collaboration and resource sharing within the educational community.

3. Important Facts and Quotes

• Author: "John Low" is the author of the "Projectile Motion with Comparison JavaScript HTML5 Applet Simulation Model".
• License: The resource is released under "Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 Singapore License," allowing for adaptation and reuse with appropriate credit.
• Platform: The resource is hosted on "Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics @ Singapore," demonstrating a commitment to open and accessible educational materials.
• Technology: The use of "JavaScript HTML5 Applet" points to the modern technology used to create the simulation, ensuring compatibility across different platforms.
• Other Resources: The numerous links to other models and articles indicates an active community that is collaboratively working to improve educational access and material.
• Focus Areas The wide range of projects and models indicates an important area of study to include "Kinematics", "Dynamics", "Electromagnetism", and "Math."

4. Conclusion

This source reveals a valuable resource for learning and teaching projectile motion using interactive simulations. The emphasis on open access, collaborative development, and the use of technology to enhance learning are key takeaways. The platform and its related projects show the importance of visual and interactive learning in education. The numerous workshops and models point to an ongoing process of improving educational tools and techniques for both secondary and primary level instruction.

Projectile Motion Study Guide

Quiz

Instructions: Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each.

1. What is the primary focus of the provided simulation by John Low?
2. Briefly describe what a projectile is in the context of physics.
3. What are the two main components of projectile motion that are typically analyzed separately?
4. How does the simulation potentially allow for a comparison of different projectile motions?
5. What role does gravity play in the vertical motion of a projectile?
6. What is the significance of the horizontal component of velocity in projectile motion (assuming negligible air resistance)?
7. What type of software or programming language was used to create the projectile motion simulation?
8. Name one other physics topic explored on the same website as the projectile motion simulation.
9. What does the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 Singapore License allow for in terms of the simulation?
10. Beyond simulations, what other educational resources are listed alongside the projectile motion simulation on the provided website?

Answer Key

1. The primary focus of the simulation by John Low is the comparison of different projectile motions. This allows users to observe how various initial conditions affect the path of projectiles.
2. In physics, a projectile is any object that is launched or thrown and then moves under the influence of gravity and, ideally, with no other forces such as air resistance. The trajectory of a projectile is typically a curved path.
3. The two main components of projectile motion are the vertical motion and the horizontal motion. These two components are analyzed separately because they are independent of each other (again, assuming no air resistance).
4. The simulation provides a way to compare different projectile motions by likely manipulating variables like initial velocity, launch angle, and potentially other parameters. This enables users to visualize the effect on the projectile's range and trajectory.
5. Gravity acts on the vertical motion of a projectile, causing it to accelerate downwards. This acceleration due to gravity is constant and affects how high and how long the object remains airborne.
6. The horizontal component of velocity in projectile motion remains constant, assuming air resistance is negligible. This means the projectile moves at a constant speed horizontally throughout its trajectory.
7. The projectile motion simulation was created using JavaScript and HTML5, as indicated by its name and the embed code provided. This also means that is viewable in standard browsers.
8. One other physics topic explored on the website includes "Work Done on a Block (Work-Energy Principle)" simulations and "Simple Harmonic Motion."
9. The Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 Singapore License allows for the simulation to be shared and adapted, as long as proper attribution is given and any adaptations are shared under the same license. Commercial use, however, may have to be negotiated with the program developer.
10. Beyond simulations, the website lists resources such as video analysis tools, interactive math games, and various other physics-related modeling tools, along with teacher workshops and professional development materials.

Essay Questions

Instructions: Answer the following questions in essay format.

1. Discuss how the "Projectile Motion with Comparison" simulation can be used as an effective tool for teaching kinematics. Consider both the benefits and potential limitations of using a simulation in this context.
2. Analyze the relationship between the horizontal and vertical components of projectile motion, and explain how these components interact to create the trajectory of a projectile. Include an analysis of the impact of gravity.
3. Explore the variety of other interactive simulations and resources available on the Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics @ Singapore website. How do these resources contribute to a broader understanding of physics and mathematics concepts?
4. Compare and contrast the "Projectile Motion" simulation by John Low to other resources listed on the website (particularly references 1-8). What are the unique strengths and weaknesses of using simulations in teaching kinematics versus other methods of instruction?
5. Analyze the educational philosophy behind creating open-source and freely available educational resources. How does this approach potentially benefit students and educators? Consider the licensing agreement in your answer.

Glossary of Key Terms

• Projectile: An object that is launched into the air and then moves under the influence of gravity, following a curved path. Air resistance is usually ignored for ideal problems.
• Kinematics: The branch of mechanics that describes the motion of objects without considering the forces that cause the motion. It involves variables like displacement, velocity, and acceleration.
• Vertical Motion: The motion of an object in an up-or-down direction. In projectile motion, the vertical motion is affected by gravity.
• Horizontal Motion: The motion of an object in a side-to-side direction. In projectile motion, horizontal motion is considered constant (if air resistance is negligible).
• Trajectory: The path an object follows as it moves through space. The trajectory of a projectile is usually parabolic in ideal cases.
• Initial Velocity: The speed and direction of an object at the moment it begins moving, which is a vector. This can be broken into x and y components.
• Gravity: The force that attracts objects towards the center of the Earth (or any other object with mass). On Earth, the acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s².
• JavaScript: A programming language commonly used for creating interactive web content. Used here to create the interactive simulations.
• HTML5: The latest version of Hypertext Markup Language, a standard for creating and structuring content for the web.
• Open Educational Resources (OER): Freely accessible teaching, learning, and research materials that are openly licensed for reuse and adaptation.
• Open Source: A term that indicates that the source code of a software program is freely available and can be modified and distributed by the public.
• Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 Singapore License: A type of copyright license that allows others to use, adapt, and share the work under the condition that the original author is given credit and any adaptations are also shared under the same license.

Versions

1. http://opensourcephysicssg.blogspot.sg/2017/10/projectile-comparison-by-john-low.html 

Other resources

1. http://www.compadre.org/Physlets/mechanics/illustration3_4.cfm Illustration 3.4: Projectile Motion by W. Christian and M. Belloni 
2. http://physics.weber.edu/amiri/director-dcrversion/newversion/airresi/AirResi_1.0.html Trajectory of a ball with air resistance by Farhang Amiri
3. http://www.walter-fendt.de/html5/phen/projectile_en.htm HTML5 version of Projectile Motion by Walter Fendt
4. http://www.compadre.org/OSP/items/detail.cfm?ID=7299&S=7 Ejs Intro 2DMotionLab Model by  Anne Cox, Wolfgang Christian, and Mario Belloni 
5. http://www.phy.ntnu.edu.tw/ntnujava/index.php?topic=623.0 Projectile motion with equations by Fu-Kwun Hwang
6. http://www.phy.ntnu.edu.tw/ntnujava/index.php?topic=1832.0 Airdrag by Fu-Kwun Hwang and ahmedelshfie
7. http://archive.geogebra.org/en/upload/files/english/lewws/basketballsimulation_counterspeed_simulationspeed_updated1r.html Simulation of BasketBall Throw by Lew W. S.
8. http://ophysics.com/k8.html by Tom Walsh
9. http://ophysics.com/k9.html by Tom Walsh